Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

The second Saturday in every month meant a day spent over at her dad's. Normally the day was reserved for just the Becketts and Castle had accepted that after the first Saturday he had been turned down for a lunch date with Kate and Al.

This Saturday was different apparently.

Friday night they tried breakfast-for-dinner, an array of omelets and sausage patties and French toast spread out on the dining room table. Castle came over earlier than usual to help get the food ready with Kate while Al pretended to be running a karaoke night, singing into a remote control along with Dora the Explorer on the television.

"Her Spanish isn't half bad," Castle commented, reaching over Kate for a fork.

"Don't tell her that. She thinks we'll move to Spain or something if she hears she's doing well." Kate said it firmly but leaned a hip against the counter to watch the girl jump up on couch, totally into the song about going to the Willowy Tree, eyes radiating love. Then she pushed off the counter, picking up plates and silverware. "Al! Dinner's ready!"

Al clambered off the couch, tossing the remote between the cushions where it was sure to get lost, and climbed into her seat. "Then I can go to the Willowy Tree?"

Ignoring Kate's glare, Castle nodded, setting the plate of French toast down on the table in front of her. "With Boots and everyone."

"'Cept Swiper." Al spoke clearly, fixing him in a firm gaze. "He's bad."

"Of course," he said, tapping her nose lightly.

Kate brushed past him with the sausages, muttering, "What did I say about encouraging her?"

"To do it as often as possible because it's good for her imagination?"

He started to soften her up again when they sat down across from one another at the small table. With just his stocking feet, he tickled her ankle under the table, grinning when she squeaked in surprise.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Al asked as she dragged the piece of sausage through a pond of maple syrup.

Kate grinned, convincingly if Castle was going to judge, and shook her head. "Nothing, kid. Just forgot the food was hot." The last words were pointed directly at Castle, as was the narrowing of her eyes.

Wrong idea. His smiled in return, shrugging. "Not the only thing that's hot at the table."

Which earned him a kick to the shin. And didn't really stop him from repeating the motion up and down her calf, bared by her leggings that only reached her knees. Kate managed to hold back the little moans as his toes dug into the muscle, shooting pointed looks at him across the table but not moving her legs from his reach.

He helped clean the frying pans and bowls and silverware in an assembly line; Kate washing the dishes with Al handing them over the short distance to Castle who was on drying duty. But was he went to say goodbye to them, giving Al a fierce hug that had her screaming for mercy and Kate a rather tame kiss that tasted faintly of maple syrup, Kate did something out of the ordinary.

"Come over my dad's house tomorrow?"

"Really?" he asked, blinking in surprise as his fingers tightened on her waist, their only point of contact when Al was standing right next to them.

She sighed. "Yeah. You should come hang out with us."

"You sure? I know that's, like, you and Al and Jim's thing and I wouldn't want to intrude on-"

"I'm sure," she said, brushing a kiss over his cheek. "We'll pick you up around eleven."

Kate and Al were cuddled up with Sadie on the floor, backs against the couch as they sounded out words of a book Al had pulled off of Jim's bookshelves.

"Relax, Rick." Jim grinned from across the dining room table, sliding the cup of coffee closer to the writer. "Everyone likes you. Al especially." When Castle only blinked, Jim shrugged. "The thing with Katie is that even if she adored a man, if Al showed even the smallest amount of dislike for the guy, he'd be out. They've both kept you around and that proves something. You're different."

"Did the pressure just increase on me or lighten?" Castle asked with the barest of smiles, spinning the mug to pick it up by the handle.

Jim laughed, shaking his head. "Knowing my girls, a little of both, I should think." He leaned one arm on the table, edging closer to Castle so that neither Kate nor Al could hear the following words. "There is one thing I've been meaning to bring up with you and I don't want to offend you or anything but it needs to be cleared up."

Nerves shot through Castle's veins. He hadn't felt nervous in years, not since his first book reading. But now, faced with the father of the woman he was so sure he was going to marry, Richard Castle was absolutely terrified. "Uh. Yes?"

"You have really striking eyes."

Unsure of where Jim was going with the conversation, Castle nodded slowly. "I've been told that, yes."

"So does my granddaughter."

Ah. That's what he was implying. Castle sat forward, forearms on either side of the coffee mug as he turned his back to Kate and Al. "Mr. Beckett, as much as I'd like to say that Al is well and truly mine in the biological sense, I'm afraid that I can't claim any part of her existence. I was in Los Angeles with my girlfriend for the entire year before Al was born."

"Katie would say something about that being an air-tight alibi. Not that eye color is any way to figure out paternity but I thought we should just clear the air before you get a ring for my daughter or anything."

Jim said it so calmly, even accompanying the statement with a shrug of a single shoulder, that Castle nearly choked on his coffee. "Sir, I-"

"Calm down, Rick. Joking. Well, halfway joking actually. Just know that you have my permission, whenever the time comes up." The older man got up, moving toward the kitchen. "Anyone want cookies?"

Al scrambled to her feet, book and mother forgotten, as she ran into the kitchen. "Me, Grandpa! I want cookies!" Sadie got up, following the girl slowly, butting her head against Al's hip for a treat.

Castle walked past the girl as she reached up for the plate of cookies Jim was handing her and sat on the couch next to Kate, squeezing her shoulder gently. "Thanks for this."

She rested her hand over his, her fingers curling so the tips brushed his palm. "Same goes. Did Dad scare you off?"

"Nope."

"Good," she murmured, tipping her head back so he could sneak a kiss behind the cover of the couch cushions. "Cause I'd kinda miss you if you left."

Al reappeared, holding the plate of cookies out in front of Kate's face. "Cookies, Mom. Have some."

Kate took one of the M&M cookies, pressing a kiss to her daughter's cheek. "Thanks, kid."

Castle snagged two of the cookies before Al dashed away, biting off half of one.

"So, what'd he grill you on this time?" she asked, chewing thoughtfully on the corner of the cookie she broke off. "Because we've already crossed the 'intentions' talk off the list. What's left?"

He shook his head, tugging his hand from under hers but still letting it trail over her neck before sitting back into the couch. "Tell you later."

Kate looked confused, turning so she faced him, her finger still slipped between the pages of the Judy Blume book she and Al had been reading. "Should I be worried?"

"Nah." Castle waved her concern off, popping the other half of his cookie into his mouth. "Just more man-talk. Later. Promise," he said, nudging her with his foot.

Definitely talk later. Later when Kate's father was not headed over to play a game of Go Fish with everyone, his dog lopping along behind him to flop against Kate's side, her head cushioned on Kate's thigh, watching the others with warm brown eyes.

Because even though Jim was half joking, Castle thought as he shuffled the deck of cards while Al settled on his lap, little fingers trying to help tap the cards into line, there is definitely going to be a ring for Kate in the future. That is, as long as the girl handing cards out to her mother and grandfather is okay with it. Somehow, Castle doesn't see Al having a problem.